Stephen Sermon - Moses (Acts 7:17-43)
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week: Joseph
Three Points from Last Week:
God will see his plan through
God is with us in the hard times and good times
What others intend for evil God uses for good
Moses as an Infant (v.17-22)
Moses as an Infant (v.17-22)
17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
Prophesied time had come and the Israelites were now enslaved in Egypt
King did not know Joseph - many different theories - internal revolution most likely
Enslaved the Israelites
Exposed infants - Israelite numbers were growing too much so they began killing the infants
Moses’ mother saves him by floating him down the river where he is found by Pharaoh’s daughter.
He is raised in the household of Pharoah
What this evil man meant for evil, God would use for the betterment of his people and to fulfill his purposes.
A Note on God’s Sovereignty
God’s providence put Moses in Pharaoh’s house which will make a him a good person to go before Pharoah and speak to him on God’s behalf.
Moses 40 years old (v.23-29)
Moses 40 years old (v.23-29)
23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
Verse 25: Sometimes people do not know you are coming in to save them
Verse 25: Sometimes people do not know you are coming in to save them
25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.
Sometimes when we are trying to minister to people they do not think they need to be helped. They do not understand that when we come in with the Gospel we are there to bring salvation to them.
Many times people do not know they need to be helped - in fact they do not think they need to be helped. It becomes easy for us to respond in a hostile way when we are shown that we are in error in some way. The same is true for a non-believer - when you have news that they need to be saved they will probably at least say or think “saved from what?”
We as believers have to be willing to admit that we are wrong and be ready for correction. We must be willing to admit we have a problem - we must be open to realize that we are not perfect and have faults that we must give over to Christ that we can be made more like him. The process of sanctification is a long one that takes time to walk down - it is not overnight.
Moses Called (v.30-34)
Moses Called (v.30-34)
30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’
God sends Moses to Egypt!
God picks this man to go - this is his person.
God did not make a mistake - God brought specifically who he wanted to Egypt.
The same is true with this church, everyone that is here has been brought here for a specific time and purpose.
Some may be here for a short time - some may be here for a long time - but the key is trying to see why God has brought you here.
God does not make mistakes.
Moses the questioned leader (v.35-36)
Moses the questioned leader (v.35-36)
35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.
These people did not see that Moses was sent by God.
They did not give Moses the respect of one chosen by God.
It is really easy to sit back and criticize leadership.
We must remember that God places kings, leaders, elders, and pastors in their station for a purpose.
We don’t want to be the people that were wagging their fingers at Moses saying “who made you the leader?” well the answer to that is simple: God
Moses predicts Jesus (v.37-38)
Moses predicts Jesus (v.37-38)
37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.
Direct quote from Deut. 18:15
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
Moses is a type of Christ
Just as Moses was there among the people of Israel - Christ is here among the people of his church
Rejected by the People (v.39-41)
Rejected by the People (v.39-41)
39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
The people rejected God’s called person (v.39)
The people rejected God’s called person (v.39)
They did not submit to the authority that God put in front of them - even though Moses proved himself as the leader through the work that God had done through him.
They did not listen to the one God had sent
This happens so often today:
It becomes really easy to question the guy in charge. Everyone that is not wearing the “leader hat” finds it very easy to sit back, critique, and then attack the one who God has placed in the chair of leadership.
Instead of following their leader into the unknown and uncharted territory they wanted to go back to the old ways in Egypt (v.40-41)
Instead of following their leader into the unknown and uncharted territory they wanted to go back to the old ways in Egypt (v.40-41)
They completely rejected the leader, Moses, whom God sent and began worshiping and idol.
The second that there was a bit of mystery they abandoned God and the one who he sent.
Rather than trusting God and relying on him they panicked.
Rather than trusting in God and his promises, they trusted in their own humanly wisdom.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
The People’s Apostasy (v.42-43)
The People’s Apostasy (v.42-43)
42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
“ ‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
Because the people continually rejected the one God sent , God turned his face away from them.
God handed them over to their desires - God essentially said to them:
“You want to go your own way and worship these idols - fine - but I will send you into Babylon.”
Conclusion: Three Points
Conclusion: Three Points
God guides our lives to prepare us for the future (Moses as an infant and being raised in Pharaoh’s house)
God calls and equips leaders who we do not always expect (Moses was not anything special - God molded him for the roll)
Rejecting the leader that God has called is rejecting God himself (The people rejected Moses and God punished them for it - They rejected Moses and then rejected God - Golden Calf).
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.